Relocated
by Eric123
Summary: A wolf relocated to Yellowstone, meets a wolf he knows and some other wolves, meanwhile getting put on the wanted list of a another pack...you get the idea. Note: I am currently editting the previous chapters, so updates will take a while.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is my 2nd rewrite of chapter 1.

* * *

I woke up in darkness. The ground was hard and smooth. How did I get here? There were no familiar scents, but there were traces of another being and my instincts warned me against it. Then I noticed something strange, there were orbs hanging in mid-air, emitting light. I felt the ground shaking beneath my feet, but not very violently. But I made the observation too early as a sharp jolt flung me out of my standing position, into the blackness, away from orbs. I was almost knocked out by the impact against the 'blackness', which unexpectedly, turned out to be solid. I was starting to get worried, what if I could not get out of this dark prison? I nudged one of the orbs, and realized that it was actually a hole. I could feel the air coming in from the hole, so I was not going to suffocate. And then there was something that interested me, this wall moves. It shook when I touched it. Maybe it could open! But before I could do anything, I was thrown off my feet again by a sudden stop. The last thing I remember is a hard bump on my head.

XXXXX

I crawled to my feet for the second time, shaking my head to try get rid of the headache. There were fresh scents now, the same being as before. And there was another stronger smell, meat. Both my instincts and intelligence warned me against the piece of meat that just happened to be lying around. I lay on the ground, preventing any more cases of bumping against walls. Closing my eyes, I lay my head on my paws and hoped for the best. I followed my thoughts mindlessly, going wherever it went, until I bumped into a certain memory.

_It was in the cover of the night that we went for our hunt. We race past the houses, there was no promise of a meal in those houses, there was the occasional chicken, but it was not worth the effort. Our target was much bigger, and much profitable. A strong wire fence denied access to us, but we were not deterred so easily. Soon, there was a hole under the fence. The animals inside had noticed our intrude and started to back away nervously. They were weak and easy pickings for us. Moments later, a cow was on its side, blood flowing out of its twitching body. We tore apart the body with glee; the entire pack was here, so there was no need for leftovers. The surviving cows made a racket around us, but no one took notice of them. Crack! My heart missed a beat, while SweetJaw's would never beat again. _"Run," _the Alpha whispered. Nobody needed a second order. I turned tail and fled. The footsteps and shouts were increasing. Then one by one, my pack mates were getting shot down while they struggled to get past the fence_. _I looked forward to find that some of my pack had made it through and started to merge into the blackness. There was a sudden stop of killer cracks. I took the chance to burst out of the hole and cover the ground to safety. There was no hard crack this time, just a quiet whizz. Then the object struck._

_It was in the cover of the night that we went for our hunt. We race past the houses, there was no promise of a meal in those houses, there was the occasional chicken, but it was not worth the effort. Our target was much bigger, and much profitable. A strong wire fence denied access to us, but we were not deterred so easily. Soon, there was a hole under the fence. The animals inside had noticed our intrude and started to back away nervously. They were weak and easy pickings for us. Moments later, a cow was on its side, blood flowing out of its twitching body. We tore apart the body with glee; the entire pack was here, so there was no need for leftovers. The surviving cows made a racket around us, but no one took notice of them. Then, something hit my flank. I wheeled around to confront whoever that had tried to attack me. My eyes focused on a silhouette, in the shape of a human! Before I could sound an alert, there was a loud crack. My heart missed a beat, while SweetJaw's would never beat again. "Run," the Alpha whispered, his eyes wide open with shock. No one needed more urging. Crack! Another killer was let loose. A yelp announced that the killer had claimed its victim. One of my seniors tumbled to the ground, whimpering in pain. Then one by one, my pack mates were getting shot down while they struggled to get past the fence_. _I noticed that I was stumbled after every step. I could no longer support and I dropped limply. He landed with a thud facing me, eyes full of pain and fear._

XXXXX

"Tony, move that wolf down."

The man known as Tony gave a brief nod and went to the back of the truck.

His partner smiled slightly and congratulated himself on a job well done. He was so engrossed in his self-admiring thoughts that he didn't notice Tony calling for him.

Tony finally gave up calling and head over to him, giving him annoyed pat in the back.

"The wolf's not tranquilized," he complained.

"Why does it have to be tranquilized? Just let it go already."

Tony held up a couple fill-in reports on a clip-board.

"Oh. That," the driver groaned.

* * *

A/N: Chapter 2 is up


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Chapter 2 rewritten twice over, for yours truly. It's longer too ^^

* * *

This time, it was not sudden movement that woke me, but the sudden stop. I had grown so used to the sounds and trembles that I nearly forgot that they were there.

Then, a slit appeared suddenly at the wall. In flowed some fresh air, and the familiar scent of the 'being' that I had detected earlier.

Now being fully awake with no headaches bothering me, I realized that I knew that type of scent. I was certain that it belonged to a human, having captured that scent many times when passing the houses of the humans. That aroused the bloody memory that I had tried to forget.

Not long later, something sharp entered my flank. Snarling, I turned towards it to bite whatever it is. But as quickly as it came, it was gone.

Furious at the sudden sneak attack, I forced my muzzle through the slit and earned a yell from outside.

XXXXX

I had expected some type of retort from inserting the tranquilizer into the wolf's body, but the snarling muzzle that attempted to chomp at my hand was just slightly too much.

"You got it in, Tony?" the driver asked. Driving was only a temporary job for him, as he swore that he would get a job in an air-conditioned room. But by the insanity and speed that he drove, he was lucky to be still alive.

"Yeah," I replied, "no sweat."

He chuckled, "but I see that you're sweating."

"Well…that was only a metaphor."

"Whatever you say, Tony."

XXXXX

I didn't feel very good after that attack. I suspected that the human was using some dirty trick like they did with my pack mates. An image of my fellow hunters getting torn apart by unseen projectiles resurfaced.

Slowly, but surely, I felt the urge to fade into unconsciousness increase. I lay down, unable to support myself anymore. I tried shaking off some of the drowsiness, but to no prevail. Gradually, I went into a drugged slumber.

XXXXX

"The wolf's down," I notified my partner of the day,

"Finally," he grumbled, putting his hands in the air.

"Come on, just a science report and then we can release it," I urged him. My hands instantly felt my pockets for the tranquilizer antidote, making sure that it was still there. Fortunately for me, it was there, all in one piece.

"Anything but the releasing," he answered, crossing his arms.

"Whatever you say," I quoted him, the latter giving a scowl.

XXXXX

When I opened my eyes, I realized that I had awakened too many times the day. Getting poisoned to sleep didn't help either.

The humans had just left, as their scents were still fresh. I longed to run after them, but I knew that it would be pointless because I tried it once. Their moving-cages were too fast to overtake.

Leaving the thoughts to the back of my mind, I took information from my surroundings. There was a small lake in the shape of an 'L'. By the lingering smell of prey, I easily deduced that it was a regular drinking spot. And there were other wolves.

The humans had brought me into another pack's hunting grounds, I realized in fear.

I had to escape their lands or risk possible death. So I ran, looking for the quickest way out.

XXXXX

I didn't have a clear vision ahead of me, with all the trees around, and the wind blowing away from me put me at a clear disadvantage.

I had a chance to get out of the hunting grounds before I was discovered, and that would certainly decrease some hostility since most of the wolves that I knew cared only for the prey when it came to territories. If you didn't hunt their prey, they tolerated you to a certain amount.

A growl was all I heard before I was sent hurtling towards a tree trunk.

Dazed, I lay on my side. "What are you doing on Blackwatch hunting grounds," my assailant snarled.

XXXXX

I looked down at the sliver coated wolf. My brain immediately searched for a name for the intruder. It was an obsession of mine, naming everyone that I met, including everyone that I would kill.

I caught his fear. Shaky?

No, I named a coyote Shaky, whom I killed under the gaze of her mate.

She was probably lucky that I was the one to kill her and not my _other _pack mate. He would have made that one kill last for hours.

His silver coat made me remember of a human weapon that was the same color. Blade. No, he was going to die too easily for that.

Runner, I decided. He was a runner when I first saw him.

"Runner, die," I whispered and leaned forward to deliver a killing bite.

XXXXX

I snapped out of my daze in time to see the jaw descending swiftly on me. My fear raised a hundred-fold as it came closer. Just an inch from my neck, my mind flashed back to a scene when I was still a cub.

I knew what do, but I could only hope that it would work.

XXXXX

I was now on my back. Carelessness of mine, but it was nothing serious.

When I went for the kill, to my utmost surprise, his throat slipped past my jaws. Now, just a few seconds after that incident, I was pinned against my back. But like I mentioned, it was nothing serious.

Grinning, I sent a quick swipe at his paw, a blow that could surely release me. But astonishingly, he lifted his leg a split second before I hit him and sprinted away.

It took me a second to react to the sudden turn of events. By the time I did, there was nothing left of him.

XXXXX

I swam across a river to throw him off my scent, landing a distance downstream. I was safe for the moment, but I still felt uneasy. That wolf wasn't going to let up.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: this is chapter 3.1

Date: 12/7/11

* * *

The moon appeared alongside the darkening sky. I lay at a strategic position on top of a small hill, where I had a clear view of the grassland around me. I had traveled far from the spot where I had had the nice 'chat' with the black wolf.

With no particular reason, I rolled on my back and realized that my spot was also good for moon gazing. The half moon loomed high above me. The silvery light radiating from it comforted me.

Then I noticed something moving out of the corner of my eye. That put me off my relaxed mood. I quickly got on my feet, but for a second I couldn't see anything. That is, until it moved again.

I could see something poking out of the ground. It moved again, and then zoomed across grassland.

I couldn't identify it by its scent, so it must be something that I had never encountered before. Without doubt, I had much to learn.

XXXXX

The white wolf advanced at the elk carcass, eyeing it hungrily. With a white-grey coat, she made a beautiful specimen.

There was not much left of the elk except for strips of flesh here and there, but it was enough to lure her.

Greedily, the half-starved wolf took everything that was left. In her quest to fulfill her hunger, she never noticed the wolf behind her until he attacked.

XXXXX

There were not much more interruptions throughout the night, except a case where a coyote happened to stumble across me. With their looks almost like wolves, I got frightened for a while until it got a good look at me, and fled.

But there was another much more interesting interruption, which existed in the form of a hunt. It was not the average wolf versus deer hunt, but a wolf versus wolf hunt; with one of them being 'prey'.

I recognized her coat as soon as I saw it. It triggered a familiar memory from when I was just a year old. She was around my age.

"_Hi, I'm Angel."_

_I was stunned for a moment, not knowing what to say. I didn't know her, and she just walked up to me and said 'hi'._

"_I'm Pale Moon," I managed, after a huge hesitation. She seemed very comfortable in our territory, perhaps she was authorized to be here._

"_I'm the Morning Star Alpha's daughter."_

_I remembered our Alpha had announced their coming and welcomed it. But it surprised me that she didn't state her title before her name, as most others of her rank did. _

_When I questioned her about her queer way of announcing herself, she simply shrugged it off, saying that she understood nothing about the positions in the pack and didn't want to know._

"_No pack politics are going to mess with me," she said definitely._

She was very happy then, and we formed a group with other wolves of our age from the both packs. Sometimes we would have a swim in the lake and then soak the adults when our fur still had water lodged in them. Other times we would chase rabbits and hares, but they got away most of the time.

But it all broke up when her father announced his decision to leave.

There were many farewells between us, and the Morning Star pack was a rather major part of our group.

The group never recovered from the blow, especially with Angel gone. Angel and I had been the unofficial leaders, settling fights and problems, maintaining the pack within the packs.

I stayed with the group, but there was something missing, and everyone felt it. We never had the fun and laughter that had been before.

Every memory and thoughts happened in a millionth of a second. By then, I knew what to do.

And now I realize, I missed her.

XXXXX

(Angel)

I wanted to curse my life and everything I had done to get me to be pursued by the wolf behind me.

My leg was stained with my own blood. And it was my blood that was drenching the grass with every step that I took.

I knew for a fact that I was running to my death. Half-starved and hurt, I was no match for the grey male behind me. He was in the prime of his health and was not held back with my disadvantages.

I didn't have many options. I could either run until I drop with exhaustion, or, turn back and give the grey wolf everything that I had. In my opinion, the latter one would be the best, even though I would be lucky to even give him a minor scratch.

I wheeled around and braced for the worst. But it never came. Instead, I was greeted by a lick on my muzzle.

"Moony?" I gasped. What was he doing so far from his home?

I suddenly felt faint, and nearly collapsed.

"Angel," Pale Moon addressed me worriedly, "let's find you a place to rest."

I remember giving a nod of agreement before the loss of blood took over me.

* * *

A/N:Now I realize that with some changes, I'll have to change the rest, so please bear with me.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Chapter 4 rewritten once

* * *

I struggled to tear open the outer shell of the trunk, hoping to reveal some kind of shelter where Angel could lay in relative safety.

The more I continued to scratch at the surface of the trunk, the more pointless I felt. There was little to no chance that this old, dried trunk that was half buried could be hollow.

Frustrated, I leaned my weight against it. Seconds later, it caved in without warning.

I groaned as I lay in a mist of sawdust, but I was happy that the idea had worked.

The center of the trunk had much less space than I had thought, but it could still fit a couple of wolves, though it would be a tight squeeze.

I got onto my feet and cleared off the wood fragments to the best of my ability before carefully moving Angel in.

I cringed at the sight of the wound on her leg. I had done my best to clear off the blood, but there was nothing I could do to hide that bite.

Judging by her looks, she had obviously not eaten in a while. As much as I would like to head out for some prey, I had no knowledge of the threats in this place and Angel would be completely vulnerable to those threats. Then I realized that, without any information on what I could be facing, I would vulnerable too, for they could be anything.

With that in my mind, I lay down beside Angel's figure and kept a stern watch on the entrance of our temporary shelter.

XXXXX

Slowly, I became aware of the world again. My last memory was of stealing a carcass and getting pursued, but why did I feel safe?

Then, I picked up a scent. It roused distant memories, and also something recent. I was aware of another being beside me, but what?

I opened my eyes and tried moving, but after sharp pain from my leg, I stopped and unconsciously let out a soft whimper.

I heard movement beside me. But curiously, I didn't feel the slightest bit worried.

"Angel?" a familiar voice prompted.

The voice rang a bell, but I couldn't remember where I had heard it.

"You're awake!" the voice sounded happy.

Careful not to move that injured leg, I turned to face the source of the voice.

His tail wagging hard, and an obvious smile on his face, was Pale Moon.

XXXXX

I couldn't be more overjoyed; a moment before, I had imagined the worst that could happen. One involving plenty of dark dealings, and the other, a rather sudden end…well, it was a relief that none happened.

More pressing problems lay under the surface my happy interior. The main thing was food. Sure, as a fully fledged member of my pack, I had participated in a decent amount of hunts, but I had a feeling that hunting here wouldn't be as easy. Trusting hunches makes you paranoid, but sometimes it pays off well.

Noticing Angel's confused expression, I narrated the events from when I saw her to the present. But I made sure not to mention about anything before meeting her. I didn't think that I was ready for that yet.

"Thanks, for everything," she gave me a weak smile.

That smile hurt. That smile that I had missed for two years.

We both stared at each other, pondering on how to proceed. For a moment, I thought that I felt a deep bond that we shared. Or maybe it was just something aroused from my fantasy that fed on the fairy tales that were told during sleepless nights under the stars.

All the same, the fact that time had changed us was true, no matter how slight. We were practically strangers now. For a weird moment, I had an urge to laugh, to laugh away all the awkwardness and doubt.

But I didn't, and that was a fact.

* * *

A/N: Slightly longer than the previous version, a little changes here and there. Despite the change in the details, the general plot should remain the same

Read&Review


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: I finally finished this rewrite. Took me quite some time, but the truth is that I have been lazy, terribly lazy~~

* * *

"What? Rabbits? Fish?" Pale Moon repeated what I had said earlier.

I nodded at him. Being lectured about hunting by a wolf that almost managed to starve herself to death probably wasn't the greatest idea ever, but somebody had to tell him.

"But those are just…snacks," he started saying.

"Here, they help you get through those failed hunts," I interrupted him. He looked slightly doubtful when I said the word 'failed'. Where we lived previously, prey was handed out in a silver platter and a failure was extremely rare, but that wasn't how it works here. Prey here actually runs, and they were quite fast when they did.

It had been hard to get used to the decreased food supply when I first came here, but father refused to turn back. Even though I had been here a year or so, I never started hunting until that day.

"So you are saying that I should focus on rabbits first?" Moon asked.

"Yes, fishes too," I replied. Moon grimaced. I raised an eyebrow.

"No fishes," he said firmly, "and that's final."

"Survival first…" I started, and then paused.

"Yeah, yeah, preference later," he grinned, "I could live on earthworms."

I went through my mind, wondering if there was anything important that I had neglected telling Moon. I had mentioned the bears, the prey, prey gathering hotspots, scavengers…but there seemed to be something that kept on slipping my mind.

XXXXX

"You let him escape after a confrontation?"

I nodded.

"That's not like you," Shadow growled suspiciously.

That was the reason I had tried to avoid telling him. But being the one that catches on to everything, it wasn't long before he knew.

"What? Suspecting me of double dealing?" I sneered.

"You could be doing so, Midnight," he narrowed his eyes.

I smiled at him. He had plenty of suspicions, but he couldn't do much about them. Not while I was Beta.

Midnight was not my real name. I was born Lucas but I changed it immediately when I joined Blackwatch.

"You better find that wolf," he growled, "or the Alpha will hear about this."

There was a glint to his eyes, "or better yet, _I _will hunt him down."

I had pity for my enemies. And I would not wish anyone to be murdered by Shadow, not even my most hated.

XXXXX

We scouted the area for prey. Angel was still uncomfortable with walking with only three legs, while constantly avoiding hurting her injured leg, but she managed. I had to slow down slightly for her to catch up.

But despite the setbacks, we quickly spotted a herd of deer, at the edge of the forest, grazing rather contently on patches of grass.

Compared to the cows that we hunted back home, these deer didn't seem like much. I quickly discovered that they were not as weak as they looked. After spotting us, the entire herd bolted like lightning.

Despite Angel's previous warnings about how prey would try to escape, I wasn't much prepared for it. I didn't react well to the sudden change from docile grazers to jet planes.

I stood there for a blank moment, while Angel attempted to chase after the herd. I stopped for only a second, but that was enough for them to reach somewhere far, far away.

Of course, I tried to make up for the lost second, but by the disappointed look that she had when I saw her limping back during my desperate sprint, I could tell that I was too late for venison.

My first real hunt and I truly blew it.

XXXXX

I tore the strips of flesh off gleefully, savoring the pleasant taste of food. Pale Moon watched me with a faint disgusted look on his face.

It had been a lucky catch, scoring me a rather large fish.

(Flashback)

"_I can't believe that I am really trying to fish here," Moon muttered._

"_We didn't get the deer," I retorted._

_A guilty look crossed his face for a moment, "I guess you're right." He looked at me with a prompting look on his face, "so how do I start?"_

"_Well…spot the fish, and then catch it," I said bluntly._

"_What? You expect me to dip my muzzle in-"he thrust his muzzle quickly into the water._

(End)

Believe it or not, he actually came back up with a fish. He was as surprised as I was.


	6. Chapter 6

"Sam, hand me the salt."

"Honestly, Tony, I don't think it will taste good with salt," the dark-haired man on the other side of the table replied, but handed the salt over all the same.

"It will taste good," Tony said firmly, scattering salt over his plate of meat ball spaghetti.

Sam grimaced as the salt formed a shiny layer covering the food from sight, spaghetti and all.

"You basically tell me the same thing every month," he proceeded in mixing the salt and spaghetti.

Sam grinned, "But you manage to come up with a different food every single time. Only the salt part hasn't changed."

"Too true," Tony scooped up some of the noodles and ate them, "you definitely need to try this."

Before Sam could come up with a response, a phone rang. It was presented at the form of a heavy metal piece, which was probably not the best ringtone for a high class Italian restaurant.

Tony answered his phone, ignoring the looks from the other people in the restaurant. "Hello? Yes, I'm Tony."

Sam could not hear the person at the other end of the phone, but apparently he or she said something important, because Tony quickly sat up straight. "That wolf? I released him at the place you told me to."

Sam was not surprised by a talk about wolves, Tony had told him about his new job. He took no interest in this, and went back to his meal. Tony continued his 'delightful' chat with the person on the other end, at least until it stopped being 'delightful'. A worried look crossed his face. "Sorry."

"What was that about?" Sam asked when it was all over.

"I forgot the collars," Tony looked up at him, and made a 'two' sign with his right hand, "second time."

XXXXX

"My name is Choco Seeker, I love chocolates," I introduced myself to my reflection in the pond for the hundredth time. The moon above me was waning slightly, but otherwise round.

I have been on my own for about an entire week, and so far have met a few small packs, but none bigger than four wolves. Bigger packs have been shattered by Blackwatch and the melting of snow. Blackwatch contributed more.

I was not welcomed in any of the small packs; they probably feared that growing numbers would attract unwanted attention. I was chased off their pitifully small territories every time.

I wondered why they would be so afraid, if they all united into one pack…no, an alliance would do, I have learned that many packs were sensitive to merging. The alliance could overwhelm Blackwatch four to one!

But rivalries would prevent that from happening. Even if they did ally for the cause of destroying Blackwatch, inner fighting would soon tear it apart as the Alphas try to gain an upper hand over another. And there was plenty of fear too.

I lifted my gaze from the pond and stepped out of the thin layer of reeds surrounding the pond, disturbing some insects in the process. Luminescent bugs darted around, stirred by my movements.

I gazed up at the bright globe above me. The moment somehow seemed right. And I wouldn't be close enough to any packs to be counted as a threat, what's left of my conscious mind thought. I lifted my head and howled, in hope of a bright future, and in hope that I would be able to face life. And perhaps also, in hope for friends.

The howl left me contended and happy, so who could blame me for wanting a midnight run?

XXXXX

My ear perked up, catching the vibrations that ran through the air. I roused myself, listening attentively at the song. It bore no threats of a warning, no urgency of a summon. It was like flowing water, calm, yet full of energy. This was a form of art, not perfect, but art all the same.

I felt the longing for more when it stopped. A sigh from Angel, and I knew she was thinking of the same thing.

XXXXX

I sprinted like there was no tomorrow. Faintly, I could hear responding howls to mine, they were nothing friendly, a bunch of threats and denials. I let the rush of adrenalin flood my consciousness, and the disappointment with it.

Then I skidded to a stop, stirring up dust that would usually make me sneeze. I was sure that I heard it – a howl that could barely be heard under the howls of the other wolves. But it had made through that and my adrenalin barrier, clearly.

I have finally found them.


	7. Chapter 7

I never anticipated it, never expected an attack to come so suddenly. I remember us howling in response to the other wolf. I remember basking in the comforting feel, thinking, _nothing bad could possibly happen now._

That proved that I didn't learn anything. Things changed rather quickly.

We had hit upon what we believed to be a stroke of luck that evening. What more could be asked for than a half-eaten carcass that was light enough to drag all the way back to camp? Dragging it back was a mistake. I wondered how we could have done that.

One moment we were howling, a snarl was all that warned us of what happened next. I could see the bundle of fur charging at us. Instinct took over before I had even registered what was happening.

I yelped as it barreled past me, and for a fleeting moment, I saw Pale Moon getting knocked aside. I could hear the soft 'thud' of body against ground.

The creature apparently heard it too, because it suddenly halted. In a split second, it had turned its attention from the carcass to Pale Moon.

_Shit…_ I thought, _damn mad bear…_

It was hopeless…I couldn't do more than to snarl at the bear. Pale Moon would die; I could recognize that glint on the bear's eyes anywhere: the anticipation of a kill.

XXXXX

I smelled fear in the air. Hell, there was enough to let me touch it, let alone smell it. Apart from that, I could smell bear too.

Any sensible wolf would have hesitated for a moment: a bear was nothing to mess with. I didn't.

My possible future pack was probably just ahead, I was not going to stop for a random dumb bear.

Now, if they had some chocolate, _that_ would will certainly provide some motivation…

XXXXX

Unfortunately, there was no time to ask for chocolate, as if anyone would have noticed me.

Quick, think! I thought to myself as I quickly approached the black bear. In a brief moment, my mind analyzed the situation. I ignored the distressed wolf snapping at the bear, she was in no immediate danger, however the source of distress… I spotted the fellow canine unconscious, and the big predator looming over him. _That _was the spot to intervene.

No time for thought, just action. Five hundred meters quickly became a hundred. I was under it, and in the great shadow cast by its big figure. It was a risky position to be in, I had to act fast.

I set my front right leg down – support. Lean down left, head down, there was not a moment to lose. A firm grip on his scruff. There. Without a break in my footfalls, I was off again, straight out of the shadow.

Even though I had been ready, the sudden increase of weight was still startling. It was impossible to keep the pace, and only my previous momentum kept me moving. I stumbled in my steps and broke into a roll along with the other wolf.

Crack! Snap! I crashed into a rather prickly bush, breaking plenty of twigs. Breathing heavily, a subconscious part of me decided on staying in that position and wait for something to happen.

I was proud of myself having pulled it off successfully, happy too. I have proved myself, and they, cannot have any doubt of my capabilities now…

XXXXX

I stared at the place Pale Moon vanished into, the bear did not. It appeared that the bear was quite dim and was completely freaked out when a full sized wolf disappeared under its snout. I saw my advantage in its confusion and pressed on with more threats, while at the same time boldly advancing.

The bear snorted at me, slightly bothered at the least. It gave a last feeble growl and lumbered towards the carcass that caused all the trouble at the first place. I didn't care the tiniest flea sized bit about that, it could eat that carcass for all I care. Good riddance, I say.

Now to find Pale Moon, and thank the wolf that came darting into our lives.

XXXXX

"I'm sitting here in the boring room, It's just another Sunday rainy afternoon, I'm wasting my time, I've got nothing to do," I muttered under my breath, hummed a little, and continued, "I wonder how, I wonder why, yesterday you told me 'bout the blue, blue sky, and all that I can see is just a yellow lemon tree…"

I vaguely felt somebody poking me. "How dare you disturb me from my evil slumber..."I growled. A cheesy phrase, but I couldn't resist the urge. I opened my eyes to see Marco Jackson Loop grinning at me.

He opened his mouth to say something, but his voice was drowned out by the song. "What?"

Marco rolled his eyes and yanked the earphone off my head. "I said 'that was lame'," he answered.

I shrugged, "it was from a movie."

"Yeah, what are you? A dragon that has been hibernating for centuries?" he said sarcastically.

I pretended to be amazed, "How did you know?" I exclaimed.

Marco smiled and shook his head, "now, I would love to exchange nonsense with you, but the 'captain' requests your audience."

"Now who's lamer? You're sounding so official." As annoyed as I was with being interrupted in the middle of a song, I started walking.

Marco fell in step with me. "You would be the first to have an actual conversation with him. Him being new and all that, you know? I wonder how he got to be 'captain' so quickly.

We walked past the other doors as Marco chattered along – offices. Some volunteers spent hours working in those rooms, though the concept of paperwork and how they managed to obtain so much of them never appealed to me. We were a small institute based on wolf research, not getting much attention from anyone or anything. The only major thing that we had worth noting at the moment was an agreement with the bigger institutes to tag any wolves that came by.

"Hey!" I felt his hand touch my shoulder. I brought my attention back to my surroundings, and stopped myself from colliding into the end of the hallway. I turned towards the door and stared. A song came briefly into my mind – '_Stop and stare…'_

I had seen the same door couple of days ago. It was the same door alright; there was the crack in the wood at the bottom. Whoever the painter was, the crack didn't bother him, having beautifully merged it with the painting – a crack at the bottom of a cliff. The doorknob was cleverly disguised as the moon, in fact, so well camouflaged that it took a minute to find it.

Beyond the rocky terrain of the cliff, right at the edge of the tree line, was a seated wolf. Its golden-yellow eyes gazed out at us, captivating me for a second - it seemed to be filled with so much peace. Its brown body barely showed up against the dark shadows of the forest, but for some reason, there was no trouble in spotting it.

"Come in," said a voice from behind the door, but for a moment I thought, with a mix of fear and excitement, that the wolf had spoken. Like a drunk, I fumbled around the painted surface for some time before finding the doorknob. I pulled the door open, expecting to find much more.

XXXXX

Silverpond lay curled protectively around the pups, ears alert to signs of the pack's return. She was getting more worried. A moment ago, she could have sworn that she heard a devilish scream of pain.

The pups had immediately shot to her side, shivering in fright. Even Luger had decided to scoot closer. She comforted them to the best of her abilities, but she was scared too. The scream had sounded horribly like the pack leader.

She licked at a cream colored pup's forehead, trying to calm the frightened pup. Then she beckoned to Luger to come closer. Luger had been the only survivor from the previous litter, making him a year older than the others. Silverpond didn't know what happened to Luger's littermates, only that the event had thrown their guardian into depression.

Suddenly, she could hear plenty of footfalls and greenery being pushed aside. And to her horror - snarls.

She quickly got to her feet and hissed at the pups to hide. She noticed Luger standing beside her, the one year old taking on a defensive posture.

"Go with them," Silverpond growled.

"No, I'm not going to back down!" Brave words, but she knew his opinion will change when faced with death. But by then, it would be too late.

She turned to him and forced herself to speak calmly, "Luger, the little ones need you, protect them."

They were coming closer, Luger had to leave now! Silverpond looked into his eyes, "Go." The determination in his eyes faltered, to her relief. She turned back to the attack.


	8. Chapter 8

I felt…my body was aching. I groaned and shifted my weight. Then I sensed a flurry of activity around.

_Moony?_

I heard someone chuckle, followed by…well, something, I wasn't particularly interested in listening to him.

I was lying on my side. There was a dull pain, but it didn't feel major.

…_the bear…left…_

The bear? I took a whiff of the scents drifting through the air. Yes. There was a rather fresh scent that was generally acquainted with bears. Of course, it was _different_, as all scents are supposed to be, but there was no mistaking it.

The thought of bear quickly roused a recent memory, of howling and… Danger! The bear! I leapt to my feet and…was rewarded with a couple of stunned looks.

"Certainly. Didn't. Expect. That." A he-wolf mouthed word by word. He had light brown, red and white decorated randomly on his coat. I didn't know him, but Angel seemed comfortable around him, so I let suspicions go for the moment.

"What happened?" I mumbled.

Angel opened her mouth as if to reply, but Mr. Brown answered first, "Well, you two –"then hesitated, "I'm sorry, go on."

As Angel started to explain, I listened intently, wanting to know what could have brought a stranger into our midst. "We heard a howl, remember?" I gave the briefest nod as Angel continued. "It was him." I shot a look at the stranger. A stranger he might be, but he didn't look any stranger than the other wolves I knew, except in his singing.

"We answered him." I remembered that moment, when we had accepted his call; so he was already one of us, even if only in the sung tunes.

"I never should have suggested taking the carcass with us," she lowered her head in shame. It was a mistake, but I had obliged without a question, and if there was anyone at fault, it should have been me. But she ignored me when I tried to bring up the point.

"Then the bear came, most likely attracted by the smell," she continued, "You know the rest."

I nodded 'thoughtfully', trying to avoid the mention of my ungraceful fall which would have come later, and changed the topic, "What should we call you? I can't keep calling you Mr. Brown."

"Mister…Brown?" he did an exaggerated cough that had to be concealing a chuckle, "Nah, you can call me Seeker, Choco Seeker."

"He's Pale Moon and I'm Angel," the girl piped in.

(A/N: Please note that nobody jokes about him becoming pale when faced with a bear because he has this rather thick layer called fur.)

This interaction, socialization and knowing of each other continued right into the log den, throughout the night, but as I am concerned, I am an introvert, and an awkward writer, so I'll leave them there while we approach a different part of the story.

XXXXX

The door didn't creak at all, and there was a clean, fresh atmosphere in the office that didn't feel or smell like chemicals. The window was open, lined with pots of plants that literally bloomed under the sun. The light wasn't turned, and neither was the air conditioner. Books lined his shelves like bees in a hive, obviously supporting a variety of topics. The environmentalist in me quickly processed all those information and came up with a very positive impression.

He sat behind a solid desk but stood up when I came in, earning a good deal of my respect at once. He had an expectant look on his face.

I decided to just take it face on and so I waltzed right up to him, stuck out my hand, and told him firmly, "Keizan Relz, sir." I don't know what possessed me to greet him so formally.

Just for a moment, he looked extremely taken aback, but he quickly righted himself and took my hand, "Piano Demon, Mr. Relz. Please don't call me 'sir', I'm not worthy of it."

Humble too.

"Rather, call me 'Most Exalted Demon."

Add humor to that list.

"Get used to it. Cos' we are going for a walk in the Park."


	9. Chapter 9

Luger trembled in the dark with the three youngsters huddled around him. They too were shaking like hell was on them, but they had enough sense in them to not whimper. The sounds of the conflict outside had scampered away, but he couldn't bring himself to overcome the fear to leave the den.

The little ones knew nothing except fear and worry, but Luger was old enough to understand the threats by the Blackwatch. He hated the wolf Midnight on first sight. The wolf had trotted into their camp with a smile splattered on his face, but Luger had subconsciously registered a hidden blade underneath the charming mask.

The Alpha's daughter had however, no such suspicions and saw only the charming face, and the sleek, black coat that matched her own. It took barely a week before she disappeared into the shadows, leaving her father distraught at her sudden departure.

Then they targeted his son.

Little Cat had quickly grown distrustful of Midnight when the darkness slowly wooed his sister into leaving. Nobody saw any sign the scuffle, but a quick search found him well into the afterlife, leaving behind only his dark-coated shell.

That was when the Alpha flared outrage. And Blackwatch had now come to silence them.

XXXXX

Physics jolted their equipment as the car rumbled along the road. Keizan looked worriedly at the bundle of stuff with every bump. He had this profound fear that they would arrive to find them damaged beyond casual repair even though he had taken every possible step to protect them.

But even though he spent much quality time prepping the equipment, he still had no idea what they were supposed to do. He wouldn't know if they malfunctioned on that aspect least Piano tells him.

Keizan had taken engineering as a subject, marveling at how much those numbers explained of the world and its events. He was one of the top students in the class, and everybody was surprised when he started working with an animal conservation association. He helped out with the technology in their projects and gradually learned with association.

But he had never, all through those years, ever found a piece that he couldn't understand. He glanced at the Director chatting merrily with the driver. Of course, the Demon refused to tell him anything. For the whole day, he stuck true with the environment he surrounded himself with and now looked totally unconcerned about what the bumps could be doing with his stuff, quite unlike the other researchers he had found himself working with.

Maybe I should take up his example, Keizan thought, and don't worry all that much.

He winced again as the equipment hung in the air for a moment and landed back down. Ouch.

XXXXX

Silverpond laid trembling on her side, the will to fight all but spent. It stirred her to see the Alpha still struggling to get up despite his wounds.

The Blackwatch minion stood panting above both of them, grinning with an odd satisfaction. Silverpond glared at him with upmost hatred, and if looks could kill, the black hound would be dead eons ago.

But in the physical world, Midnight's skills had kept him relatively whole. Silverpond had practically no chance against him. And Midnight had still not revealed his final card – one more lethal than any blow could ever be.

"Mirra!" Midnight gave a massive flourish and welcomed the girl out of the shadows.

"Hello, Dad," Mirra smiled at the Alpha, who recognized her by another name – Soul Streak.

The Alpha's daughter had gone over to Blackwatch.

XXXXX

Luger took a first trembling step out of the concealed den, and then another. He was afraid, but he couldn't stand not knowing what was happening. Worry and uncertainty had caused him to act. It had been all too quiet for the past fifteen minutes.

His pack had stayed here since the pups' mother was pregnant with them, so he had become well acquainted with the area, but tonight every shadow seemed to hide the devil, and every breeze whispered misfortune into his ear. With all the fear pressed against him, he felt strangely claustrophobic even under the big night sky. The stars weren't shining as bright now.

But against his urge to head back to the relative safety of the den, he ventured forth to the edge of the camp. The layer-thick silence was suddenly sliced apart by the padding of feet.

Quite unconsciously, Luger darted behind a ridiculously well-placed tree, placing him out of sight and also out of mind. Frozen there, he couldn't do anything but listen to the cries of anguish that sliced through the camp.

He didn't, and couldn't do anything to help them as they were dragged away.


End file.
